Tribute
by TattyAnn
Summary: Aven is the granddaughter of Katniss and Peeta. Ever since they won, ever member of their family has been a tribute. When Aven meets a boy from District thirteen everything seems to get better, but when there both picked as tributes, everything changes.
1. Chapter 1

The trees seem to whisper to me as I run through wild woods of district twelve. My sunshine blonde hair whips around my face I stop dead in my tracks. Was I being followed? Who knows, there are no voices, no heavy breathing other than my own and surly if someone was chasing me they would have to catch their breath at some point. The only thing my mother taught me was that if I even heard a single twig snap to run for my life and that I did. I hear it again another twig, but this time it's louder, closer. If there's no sound- it has to be a wild animal. There deadly creatures, unseen by many people in the district. I turn around to come only a couple of feet away from a large bear like creature, it's eyes are far apart and it's claws look sharper than any knife I have ever seen. It growls, launching forward, without a second to realise what I'm doing I lift my bow and pull back the arrow, sending it flying into the bears heart; it falls with a thump at my feet. Was that really all it took to kill such a large creature? If only I could take the kill home with me, this would keep my family in food for a month but who knows how long it would keep for, or if it's poisonous. Nobody's ever tested these creatures before. I stand back, admiring my work; I must admit I'm getting better at archery. I just need a little bit more practice with a spear, but those are even harder to come by than a bow and arrow.

See, it's been exactly fifty four years since my grand-parents won the hunger games and ever since then, all of their children have been put into the games. My mother was one of them, she survived and ever since her brother died in the games all of my family have been trained. Secretly of course, seeing as it's illegal to train. So at some point in the next two years, I will be a tribute. There's almost no doubt about it now. I'm the eldest of three sisters; I hope it's me first. At least that way I might not have to watch Primrose and Bay die. The thought of my sister's dead causes my chest to clench, it hurts enough for it to show on my face but I stop myself. There not dead, there alive- at school but before I can give it much thought there's more noise and this time I know for definite it's not an animal, it's a low humming noise, a melody of some kind. I raise the bow, pulling the arrow behind my shoulder, ready to attack if I need too. I push my way through the wild overgrown plants and the thousand year old trees, staying completely silent. As I turn the last corner I expect to see a peacekeeper with a gun, instead there is a large wire fence buzzing and glowing with the amount of electricity it's producing. Sat on the opposite side of the fence is a young man, with dark brown hair which is stuck to his sun-kissed skin. He's propped up against a red brick wall his legs stretched out in front of him, his elbows against his knee caps. The boy looks relaxed as he leans his head back, lapping up the sun as he lets out a low soft moan. There are no wild plants on his side, no mammoth size tree's to block out the sun. The ground looks hard and dry, desert like.

"Who are you?" I shout over to him, was that the right thing to do? Probably not but I just can't help myself. If this really is the District end, who is that boy? Why's he on the other side of the fence. District thirteen was destroyed a long time ago and there aren't any trees so it can't be District eleven. He opens his eyes slowly, looking over to me, he lets out a low husky chuckle, his teeth are pearly white, and he has to be rich to be that clean right? But his clothes look worn down and they don't fit him right.

"That's not important, but I know who you are." He looks directly at me now, then at my bow. "You shoot that thing and it'll bounce right back to you so don't even bother." I frown, that's impossible, isn't it? I move away from my aim at his head and point up towards the sky, in the far distance. As the arrow flies through the air, it looks as though nothing can stop it but the boy was right it bounce back and lands on the floor with a slight clip as the wood splits in half.

"No you don't." I spit back, scowling at the boy. Who the hell does he think he is? Being so arrogant, he can't be a peacekeeper, he's not in uniform and peacekeepers are always in uniform everybody knows that. So what authority does he have on me to speak so rudely.

"Yes I do, You're Katniss." The noise that comes out of my mouth it somewhere between a harsh laugh and a snort. Of course, my grandmother- I could be her double there's only two ways to tell the difference, my hair is a light blonde where as hers was deep brown. My eyes are dark hazel where as hers where a bright blue. "Something funny?" He growls, standing up now, facing me, he's much taller than I am, maybe 6'0 compared to my petite size of 5'3.

"Yes actually, that's my grandmother, but thanks' for the compliment she was rather beautiful wasn't she?" I smirk; he rolls his eyes as he shakes his head.

"So you're Amelia?" He wonders, I pause for a second how on earth does he know so much about my family?

"No I'm Aven, Amelia's my mother." I tilt my head up a little bit, looking up at the cloudless sky. "What's your name?" I ask, I raise my eyebrows, slinging my bow over my shoulder. Was there any need for it at this point?

"Chaden." He blushes slightly, looking down to the ground like he's ashamed of his name. "So what are you doing so far away from home Aven?" He looks directly at me, I frown, I should ask him what is beyond the fence before I tell him why I'm here.

"What district are you from?" I ask, his face goes blank for a second but he soon speaks up.

"I'm from District Thirteen, why are you so far from home?" He repeats again, this boy clearly doesn't like talking about himself.

"I'm running." I don't comment on his district just yet. I must be imagining this, dreaming maybe or perhaps I've been stung by a tracker jacker but surly I'd have felt the sting and there would be an orange size lump on me by now, maybe it was lightly. Even so I would have been dead by now no matter how lightly I was stung.

"What are you running from?" Chaden asks, drinking out of his water bottle, my stomach clenches and my throat feels like it's on fire, how long had it been since I last had a drink? There was a stream twenty miles back but I didn't stop, I was tracking a turkey- I couldn't afford to stop.

"The reaping." I reply softly, he nods, understanding almost- it's tomorrow and although I couldn't actually run from it I could at least pretend. "I thought district thirteen was destroyed?" I say a little louder, so he can hear me.

"There building it back up, it's a surprise for the hunger games, District thirteen will be back and ready for a fight. They completely re-created the district." I listen carefully to him as I lean back on the tree, nodding along.

"There doing well to keep it a secret." I look up at the sky, it will be dark in a few hours and it's a long hike back home. "I best get going. Good luck with tomorrow Chaden." I smile to him, the first real smile to come from my lips in a long time.

I turn to walk away when I hear him call my name, I glance back to him. "If neither of us get chosen, meet me back here the day after next at noon." I nod, smiling at him once again. "Good luck Aven!"


	2. Chapter 2

_**I wasn't going to update this but I kinda felt like I had too? Idk. I haven't been writing for around three months so sorry if it's really bad, enjoy **_____

_**Oh and thanks too **_**thedaniellepeazeranon** for proof reading / editing this for me go follow her guys!

My grandmother combs through my hair, her soft fingers braiding my  
>blonde locks neatly. Her poker face is down and I can see the tears in<br>her eyes, she's trying to hold herself together for my sake. I ignore  
>it as I look up into the mirror, applying just a little bit of lip balm<br>to my cracked lips.

"You look beautiful." My grandmother sighs, wiping her tears away.

I turn around to look at her, her skin is battered and warn down from  
>her years and her eyes look tired but yet she is still so beautiful.<p>

"She looks just like you in those old photographs."

My mother smiles, patting me on the back while hugging her mother. I  
>couldn't agree more, I'm even wearing her dress, seeing as I only have<br>two more reapings to go it's my turn to wear the dress, after I am  
>immune, my younger sister will wear it. It's kind of a family<br>tradition, a joke even, a sick twisted family joke.

"You are brave today, okay? The odds are not in your favor and I'm  
>sorry for that." My mother sighs, kissing my cheek.<p>

"Where are Primrose and Bay?" I wonder, completely ignoring my mother's  
>comment.<p>

"They have already set off. They're going to meet us there."

I couldn't help but feel angry at this, this could be the last time  
>they see me and they have just walked off. Of course, it could be one<br>of them instead of me, but it won't be, I can just feel it."

As we walk down to the square I think of Chaden, the strange boy I met  
>just yesterday. It seems like years ago and how he must be feeling.<br>Would he be chosen? Would he volunteer? Probably not, he didn't seem  
>like the type but then again I don't even know his last name, he could<br>be a freak and I wouldn't know.

My mother drops my hand when we enter the square, we don't speak or say  
>goodbye, there will be time for that later, if needed be. I sign in,<br>not even looking at the women sat behind the desk as she pricks my  
>finger, as soon as the blood hits the paper I run, looking for my<br>sisters. We stand one behind the other linking hands. We'll face this  
>together, as one for as long as possible.<p>

"Welcome, welcome." Alexis Jones calls out into the microphone.

For someone who's from the capitol she's dressed pretty normally, her  
>black hair falls straight to her waist, her blue eyes are plain and<br>simple. There's nothing unusual about her, maybe apart from her crisp  
>pink dress and heels but that's just the capitol speaking.<p>

"Before we get started here today, we have a message from the capitol."

She goes off, speaking about the rebellion and how we should be  
>great-full for what the capitol does for us.<p>

"Well let's begin, ladies first."

She seems almost bored, our lives are being held in her hands right  
>now and she couldn't care less. Alexis dips her hand into the large<br>reaping bowl, digging around deep. There had been rumors going around  
>this year that only mine, Bay's and Primrose's names would be put in. I<br>don't know who started those them, probably some girls from school,  
>trying to scare Bay.<p>

"Baylor Everdeen."

I tighten my hand around Bay's, she freezes. Her fourteen year old  
>frame is stone cold.<p>

"No." I whisper, pulling her close to my body, peace keepers come  
>along, pulling her away from me, she claws at me, trying to keep a hold<br>but she can't.

"Please." She begs, looking directly at me. I nod, knowing that I could  
>never let her go in; she's so young, so naive. She is pushed up onto<br>the stage, Alexis shakes her hand, leading her to the side.

"For the boys, we have." She sticks her hand into the second bowel.  
>"Genta Green."<p>

"Genta?"

Was that even a name? A boy who could be no older that thirteen climbs  
>up on stage, tears falling from his eyes.<p>

"I will ask this only once." Alexis begins but I have already stepped  
>forward. "Do we have any volunteers?"<p>

"I would like to volunteer." I call out, walking towards the stage.

Bay has started crying now, once I get onto the stage I kiss her head  
>and push her away, she would now have to go stand with our sister and<br>watch me leave.

"And what's your name?" She asks, pointing the silver microphone to my  
>face.<p>

"Aven Everdeen." I whisper.

My mouth is dry as it hits me; I will be dead in less than two weeks,  
>no doubt about it. I could never kill a child such a Grenta, or a girl<br>like Bay. I just couldn't do it. I shake hands with Grenta, squeezing  
>just a little tighter to calm him down a little but I think I just<br>scared him.

We're guided into the justice building and separated. I wait for my  
>mother and sisters to come into the room. They don't take long, just a<br>couple of minutes.

"Bay, are you okay?" I ask her, pulling her into a hug, ignoring  
>everybody else. She nods as she weeps into my chest.<p>

"You'll be okay, I promise, you have the family and I'll be home before  
>you know it." I lie, kissing her on the fore head.<p>

My mother and Primrose sob as they say goodbye to me, I tell my mother  
>to be strong, that they need her now.<p>

They are gone within a flash and I'm alone again until someone walks  
>into the room and very nearly throw a punch but I don't, instead I let<br>a fresh layer of tears cover my face.

"Dad?" I choke out, running over to him and wrapping my arms around  
>his neck. He holds me tight to his body, whispering into my ear. "What<br>are you doing to her?"

"I couldn't let us end like this." So he has no belief I will come out  
>either. "I love you Aven." He slips something into the pocket of my<br>dress, when I open my mouth to ask what it is he holds his finger to  
>his lips and silences me.<p>

"Stay strong."  
>With that he leaves and in come two peace keepers. They take me from<br>the justice building to the train. It's all a blur, before I know it  
>I'm sat next to Grenta, nibbling on cake and talking to our mentor,<br>Tabitha Scott. She won the year my uncle lost, I feel like I should hit  
>her, scream at her but I don't. She didn't kill him. A couple of<br>tributes did on the second day.

"We have a pretty good chance this year I think, the careers don't look  
>as strong as they have been and the only real threat is from thirteen,<br>they have been training since day one but they look arrogant."

Grenta begins to ask questions about thirteen but I stay silent, I  
>already knew about them making a comeback.<p>

"Can we watch the reaping?" I ask, finally putting some input into the  
>conversation.<p>

Tabitha nods, flipping on the screen, it starts from 1, a tall boy  
>with no muscle to be seen and a petite girl with long black hair, she<br>could have been Alexis little sister. It moves on quickly, over half of  
>the tributes have been volunteers but they don't look very happy about<br>it. It then shows us, Bay crying on stage and me taking her place,  
>barley speaking as I go, then Greta crying his eyes out as soon as they<br>call his name. Then comes district thirteen, the girl is young, maybe  
>only thirteen, her strawberry blonde locks are curly and she's shaking<br>as she says hello to the crowed. The host then moves on to the boys.  
>'Chaden Kask'I bust out In a fit of tears then, shaking and trying to<br>listen the best I can to what he has to say, he doesn't look surprised,  
>or scared he looks almost happy about it.<p>

"Are you okay?" Tabitha asks me, stroking my back.

"Yeah, I just. I miss my family." No, the only thing close to a friend  
>I have will be dead, very soon. <p>


End file.
